Ask Liz Weston

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Liz Weston

Wednesday’s need-to-know money news

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Today’s top story: What COVID-Era travel changes are likely here to stay? Also in the news: How to travel cheaply and safely this summer, 5 key credit card strategies for international travel, and the best no-fee credit card welcome bonuses right now.

What COVID-Era Travel Changes Are Likely Here to Stay?
The pandemic has changed the standards for working on the road and cleanliness on airplanes.

How to Travel Safely and Cheaply This Summer
Continue to follow CDC guidelines for travel, but book sooner than later to save money for summer trips.

5 Key Credit Card Strategies for International Travelers
People who spend a lot of time abroad should look for travel credit cards with international perks and partners.

The Best No-Fee Credit Card Welcome Bonuses Right Now
You don’t need to pay a big annual fee to get a bonus.

8 ½ birthdays that can affect your finances

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You hit a lot of milestone birthdays when you’re young. There’s your first birthday, of course, and also the one where you turn 10 (finally, double digits!). At 13, you’re a teenager. At 16, you’re probably thinking about driving. At 18, you can vote; at 21, you can get into bars.

You hit a bunch of milestones later in life as well, and many of them have to do with retirement. Knowing these age milestones can help you better prepare for life after work. In my latest for the Associated Press, see how close you are to one of these milestones.

Tuesday’s need-to-know money news

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Today’s top story: What to do when you can’t open a bank account. Also in the news: 6 tips to streamline insurance payments on home damage claims, college-bound grads could exit with $38K in student loan debt, and how to build your business credit score.

What to Do When You Can’t Open a Bank Account
A bank or credit union could deny an account application.

6 Tips to Streamline Insurance Payment on Home Damage Claims
Reporting the damage to the insurance company in a timely fashion can put more money in your pocket faster.

College-Bound Grads Could Exit With $38K Student Loan Debt
There are a number of ways to cut down on the amount borrowed for a bachelor’s degree before, during and after college.

How to Build Your Business Credit Score, and Why It Matters
What you need to know about establishing your business credit score and how to improve it.

Monday’s need-to-know money news

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Today’s top story: How you can recover from a bounced check. Also in the news: A new episode of the Smart Money podcast on pet scams and buying different home types, the mortgage outlook for May, and how to find out if you qualify for a monthly broadband subsidy.

How You Can Recover From a Bounced Check
If you’ve bounced a check, ask your bank if it can waive any fees you’ve incurred, and get overdraft protection.

Smart Money podcast: Pet Scams and Buying Different Home Types
Common scams people fall victim to and how to avoid them.

Mortgage Outlook: May Rates Are Just Waiting on a Trend
How April rates flipped the script.

Do You Qualify For a $50 Monthly Broadband Subsidy?
Millions without broadband now qualify.

Q&A: Is it time to rethink college savings?

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Dear Liz: My wife and I have three kids ages 4 and younger. We have been diligently saving in our state’s 529 college savings plans for all of them. Now with various concepts of free college and student debt relief gaining traction, I’m wondering if we would be better off simply investing future amounts elsewhere that don’t lock it into educational expenses, which may look very different in 14 to 18 years.

Answer: Politics is the art of the possible. Although some student debt relief is possible, as is some expansion of free college options, it’s hard to imagine a U.S. where college educations are entirely free for everyone.
Even in states that currently offer free two- or four-year public college options, the aid is typically limited to free tuition, which means students still have to pay for books, housing, meals, transportation and other costs. Some programs are need based, which means not all students qualify, and many students choose other non-free options, such as private colleges and graduate school.

So the advice hasn’t changed: If you can save for college, you probably should. You may not be able to cover all the costs of your children’s future education, but anything you save will probably reduce their future debt.
In an uncertain world, 529 college savings plans offer a lot of flexibility. The money can be used tax free for a variety of college expenses, and any unused funds can be transferred to a family member — including yourself or your wife, should either of you want to pursue more education. If you withdraw the money for non-education purposes, only the earnings portion is typically subject to income taxes and the 10% federal penalty.

Q&A: What to consider before taking a lump sum

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Dear Liz: I had a pension from a previous employer that was going to pay me $759 per month at 65. They offered me a lump-sum buyout about five years ago of around $65,000. I ran the numbers and decided that was definitely not enough money and declined.

Then last year they upped the offer and the new lump sum amount was $125,000. I ran the numbers again and this time decided to grab the money and roll it into an IRA. I’m 63 and plan to retire at 70. I can hopefully grow that $125,000 to $250,000 by that time, which would give me that much more to live on, plus it gives me more discretion on using that money than just getting the monthly payment the pension would have paid me.

After reading one of your latest columns, I am now questioning whether I made the right decision to take the lump sum.

Answer: There are a number of good reasons for opting for a lump sum versus an annuity. For example, people with large pensions may not be fully protected by the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp. if their pension fund fails. Others may need more flexibility than an annuity offers.
But a pension is typically money that’s guaranteed for life, in good markets and bad. If you’re choosing the lump sum just because you think you can earn better returns, you need to consider how you’ll protect yourself and your spouse from fraud, bad decisions and bad markets.

Bull markets can lull people into thinking they’re good investors, but markets can go down and stay down for extended periods. That poses a special risk to retirees, who are at increased risk of running out of money when they draw from a shrinking pool of investments. Even a short bear market can cause problems, while an extended one can be disastrous.

You’ll also want to consider how you’ll manage when your cognitive abilities begin to decline. Our financial decision-making abilities peak in our 50s, but our confidence in our abilities tends to remain high even as our cognition slips. That can lead to bad investment decisions and increased vulnerability to fraud.

Finally, consider your spouse. If you die first, will your spouse be comfortable managing these investments? If not, is there someone in place who can help?

A fee-only financial planner could discuss these issues with you and help you create a plan to deal with them.